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There's little data on asteroid 2013 TX68, leaving doomsayers predicting a cataclysmic collision. But the space agency is far less concerned.
From the Cheapskate: Integrated Roku for the win! Plus: Free movies and a free Need for Speed game!
Hundreds of millions of people already use the predictive-keyboard app, but Microsoft's real interest lies in its artificial intelligence.
Clean up that side navigation panel!
The new Lego Star Wars game gets its parody on with a funny take on the very first "Force Awakens" movie trailer.
Can Cadillac's upstart ATS-V really challenge BMW's legendary M3 and Mercedes-AMG's thunderous C63 for sport-sedan supremacy?
Tired of seeing the Windows 10 icon in your system tray? Try these quick fixes.
Google's Star Trek-style wearable, a historic rocket and whether we need "The Phantom Menace" are all up for debate on the latest episode of the UK's galaxy-devouring tech podcast.
From bare bones to econo-boxes to vehicles that offer terrific value for money, affordable cars are a huge segment.
Run a quick script, get the missing icon.


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Congratulations! Investors made it through the first trading day after a long weekend, and boy was it a busy one. Wall Street was focusing on a meat plant cyber attack, a frantic rally in meme stocks, the debut of SoFi (NASDAQ:SOFI) and a viral video of a woman shoving a bear. Beyond all that, what did the stock market do today?
- The S&P 500 closed lower by 0.05%
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher by 0.13%
- The Nasdaq Composite closed lower by 0.09%
So what else did the stock market do today? Here are some of the top stories.
What Did the Stock Market Do Today? Bet on AMC.
Short-sellers must really be feeling the pain on Wednesday, as AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) gained more than 22% and neared 52-week highs. In fact, one report suggests these short-sellers lost another $600 million in Tuesday trading.
The company has been on a tear in recent days, fueled by r/WallStreetBets posts and high hopes for another short squeeze. Social media campaigns like #AMCarmy and #AMCsqueeze have drawn attention to the still-strong retail investing crowd.
Today, those retail investors got a more traditional hand. AMC Entertainment announced that it was raising $230 million through Mudrick Capital Acquisition. As a result, the movie theater operator will have more cash to expand its physical footprint and improve the customer experience. For AMC stock fans, this was excellent news.
More broadly, the retail crowd has been cheering on the Covid-19 reopening story. As InvestorPlace Assistant News Writer Brenden Rearick highlighted today, Memorial Day Weekend was a boon for movie theaters. AMC benefitted, as did companies like Cinemark (NYSE:CNK) and IMAX (NYSE:IMAX). With pandemic restrictions easing and blockbuster releases queued up, consumers are returning in force to movie theaters.
But there is another story for investors — the retail crowd and Wall Street are largely divided on the future for AMC stock. As Rearick showed today, Redditors are betting on sky-high targets like $500 for the meme name. On the other hand, analysts have a 12-month consensus estimate of less than $7. Based on current prices, that is more than 80% downside.
As we look ahead to movie premiers and maskless gatherings, it is truly a toss up between Wall Street and Main Street.
Consumers Are Having a Tough Time Getting High
Looking for some legal weed? If you are in New York or New Jersey, you may be out of luck.
According to InvestorPlace contributor William White, residents in these states are facing recreational pot shortages, fueled by a variety of factors. Other states like New Mexico have similarly been hard hit.
Each of these affected states is looking to increase output to meet demand, however, those in the state cannabis businesses are learning things are not so easy. Because cannabis is not yet legal at the federal level, states cannot work across state lines to increase their supply. Although this should be a catalyst for domestic growers, difficulties receiving financing can keep would-be success stories on the ground.
Investors should note that these shortages come at a time when pot sales in the U.S. are increasing. In fact, the New York Times reported that many American consumers treated cannabis as an essential good equivalent to toilet paper. This means that during the pandemic, dispensaries stepped up to fill a new role in combatting pandemic-related anxiety. Sales in the U.S. rose nearly 50% year-over-year.
So what comes next? The short-term story for cannabis stocks will be a tough one, especially as the question of federal legalization remains in limbo. However, as White highlighted, if lawmakers move forward with pro-cannabis legislation, these shortages could quickly ease. In the meantime, they could also contribute to a healthy spike in product prices for big names like Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) and GrowGeneration (NASDAQ:GRWG).
Ripple Is Making Waves
Ripple and its XRP (CCC:XRP-USD) cryptocurrency are continuing to drum up investor support, and a series of catalysts this week make XRP even more promising.
First, Ripple continues to battle its way through a lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although it is the underdog to the regulatory agency, Ripple has been pulling through, and landed yet another victory in recent days. A judge involved in the case struck down a request by the SEC to see Ripple’s legal communications. For the XRP cryptocurrency, this is another sign that its courtroom headwinds could soon be a thing of the past. It is also an indicator that more bullish price predictions could be coming.
Second, a key Ripple client is about to come public, proving the legitimacy of its payment solutions.
The company is dLocal, and it is known for facilitating cross-border payments at a fraction of the transaction fees its larger competitors charge. This business case has attracted big-name customers like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Spotify (NYSE:SPOT). It has also made the dLocal IPO this week a key one to watch.
As InvestorPlace contributor Chris MacDonald highlighted today, dLocal and its upcoming IPO prove that XRP has a real use case. For investors betting on a post-lawsuit future, this really sweetens the pot.
On the date of publication, Sarah Smith did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Sarah Smith is the Editor of Today’s Market with InvestorPlace.com.

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How to Facilitate Central American Agricultural Exports
February 7, 2013
- A World Bank study analyzes the obstacles and suggests solutions to make exports within the Isthmus and abroad more efficient
- In recent years, Central America has exported between US$9.3 billion and US$9.8 billion in agricultural produce. Guatemala and Costa Rica are the main exporters
- Low quality rural roads, aging infrastructure, slow customs procedures and duplicated sanitary processes are the main obstacles
A customer walks along the aisles of a large supermarket in the United States and notices that pineapples are on sale in the produce aisle. The pineapples, still pricey, despite the discount, come from Central America. But what the buyer can’t imagine is what has happened from the time those pineapples were harvested in Costa Rica to now.
Costa Rica is the world’s largest pineapple exporter, with more than 1.74 million tons sold in 2011. From field to supermarket shelf, those pineapples have traveled hundreds of kilometers of unpaved roads, been kept in containers at the harbor awaiting approval from sanitary and export control, before finally being shipped to their various destinations.
Nicaraguan beef, Guatemalan green beans and Honduran organic coffee face the same fate. They are perishable products, where an extra day, or even hour, can mean the loss of an entire shipment. Even when transported within Central America itself, as with tomatoes traveling from Costa Rica to Nicaragua.
A recent World Bank study analyzed the supply chain for Central American agricultural products and the main bottlenecks they face when exporting regionally or to other markets such as the United States or Europe.
The success of agricultural trade, particularly that of perishables, depends on the efficiency of related logistical systems and the capacity to connect the global supply chain in an effective and reliable manner
So Close, Yet So Far
Overcoming these obstacles would have a direct and positive impact on the volume of Central American agricultural exports, which in recent years have hovered between US$9.3 billion and US$9.8 billion, with Guatemala and Costa Rica being the main exporters.
According to the report, the three main bottlenecks facing producers, especially small-scale farmers, include:
- Low -quality rural roads
- Aging infrastructure and slow customs procedures
- Sanitary and phytosanitary processes that are sometimes repeated when crossing the border.
“Bottlenecks in logistical chains have a clear and measurable impact on the volume and quality of the perishable agricultural products that are finally delivered,” states the report, titled “Agro-logistics in Central America.”
For example, the logistical costs for a big tomato producer exporting from Costa Rica to Nicaragua — including road transportation via unpaved rural roads, driving costs and custom duties — reach US$0.15 per kg. However, the waiting time at the Peñas Blancas border post doubles those costs, adding US$0.14 per kg to a product whose freshness period is extremely short, some 120 hours or five days.
Honduras presents additional challenges, given that crossing the border into El Salvador can take up to two days due to congestion, with lines of trucks awaiting their turn to begin procedures with customs authorities from both countries. A Honduran dairy producer revealed during the investigation that every time a refrigerated dairy container destined for El Salvador goes through a dual inspection, logistics costs increase by up to US$900.
“The success of agricultural trade, particularly that of perishables, depends on the efficiency of related logistical systems and the capacity to connect the global supply chain in an effective and reliable manner,” the report indicates.
What are the recommendations to unblock these bottlenecks and facilitate trade in Central America?
The authors of the report propose several solutions, namely:
Build secondary roads using sustainable alternatives to asphalt.
- Develop a real-time platform, requesting countries to publish their preventive customs inspections in advance, for example in case of agricultural risks such as epidemics in neighboring countries.
- Explore the possibility of mobile platforms to improve access to information and the price of transportation, logistics and security for agricultural producers.
- Modernize and harmonize regional customs systems, connecting them to the sanitary inspection and quarantine process in each country.


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CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the reason for William White being evicted was Douglas J Aveda Institute's interest in the area.
On Saturday, Carol “Red” Smith and her wife/business partner Jackie Randall closed their two-year-old barbecue booth inside Lansing City Market to prepare for its transition to a standalone restaurant. When it opens in early 2017, the newly renamed Red’s Smokehouse Burgers & BBQ will continue the evolution of Smith and Randall’s business, which had its beginning just a few feet from its future home.
In June 2014, Smith and Randall launched Red’s Smokehouse as a Wednesday-only pop-up barbecue stand at the Allen Market Place’s farmers market in Lansing’s Eastside Neighborhood. Then in September, they moved into to the Lansing City Market, where they built a following around their bacon-wrapped pork loin, brisket tacos and macaroni-and-cheese balls. A spin-off food truck followed earlier this year, starting on the city’s south side and eventually landing in the newly formed Old Town Food Truck Court, 536 E. Grand River Ave.
“It’s been a slow process, but every move we’ve made has been deliberate,” Smith said. “It’s like barbecue — you can’t rush something good.”
Since the closing of their City Market space, the duo has been busy transforming a 1,200-square-foot space on the same block as Allen Market Place, 1619 E. Kalamazoo St., into a full-fledged restaurant.
“It’s a former office space and has been empty for a while, so there’s a lot of work to do,” Smith said. “It has an industrial feel to it that I really like. And it’s going to fit in with the personality of the neighborhood, which is very important to me.”
Besides the big move, Smith recently pulled the trigger on the business’ new website, redsbbqmi.com. She said Red’s Smokehouse Burgers & BBQ will have a “state-of-the-art” kitchen, a small dining area, a deli and a takeout counter. The build-out will cost about $80,000, and Smith has turned to crowdsourcing to secure at least half of that. Through an Indiegogo campaign launched this week, she’s hoping to raise $40,000, with rewards ranging from a free order of mac-and-cheese balls to a catered party for up to 100 people.
“The community has been so supportive of us from the beginning,” Smith said. “This is a way for them to be part of our journey.”
The expansion will also allow Smith and Randall to expand their hours; Red’s expects to be open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, with a Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
“We never did dinners at Lansing City Market, so this is a new territory for us,” Smith said. “It’s exciting to see what that’s going to be like.”
As a way of paying tribute to her roots as a pop-up, Smith said she will welcome new vendors into her kitchen to help them launch their own pop-up endeavors. She’s not pursuing a liquor license — although she said the building’s owner is reaching out to local brewers looking to open a craft brewery on-site — but she hopes her cooking will speak for itself.
“Anyone can do barbecue,” she said. “It’s pretty common, but I use a little artistic flair to tweak traditional recipes. I take a couple extra steps and do things with spices and smoking that no one else is doing locally. And people are discovering us, slowly but surely. Hopefully this move will allow us to reach an even wider crowd.”
For most retail stores, Black Friday was a single deep-discount day to lure new customers in the doors. But White Bros Music will keep giving deals of nearly half off select merchandise through the end of the month as a way to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
“It’s just my way of showing my appreciation to all the people who supported us over the years,” said owner William White. “The combination of the ’08 crash and (moving) out of Okemos did a lot to hurt business, but a lot of loyal customers stayed with us. I can’t thank them enough.”
Two years ago, White was evicted from his longtime Okemos location near the corner of Okemos and Hamilton roads. White’s old building — as well as his former restaurant, the Travelers Club International Restaurant & Tuba Museum — now sit empty.
“I moved the business to Bath so I could walk to work,” White said. “There are only six other stores downtown now, and I’m doing my part to help the city get going again. And I’m also looking to reopen the Tuba Museum somewhere, maybe in Old Town.”
White co-founded White Bros Music as a violin restoration shop in 1976 with his brother, Richard White. William White bought his brother out after 10 years and expanded services to include music lessons and retail instrument sales and repair, including stringed instruments, band instruments and electric pianos. White also runs an apprentice program teaching instrument repair.
“I’d like to pass the business along someday to one of (my apprentices), but no one’s showed interest,” White said. “Some have gone on to open their own businesses. If I can’t find anyone, I’ll probably just putter around until I’m too old to do anything.”
White Bros Music is offering 40 percent discounts on select merchandise all month and giving away 40 $10 gift certificates to customers who write about a memorable experience they’ve had with the business.
“The thing I love about doing what I do is that many times I get to be the first person who introduces someone to musical instruments,” White said. “I still remember being a fourth grader and the joy I felt the first time I picked up a violin. I get to see that joy all the time. Music is an essential part of life. I just wish more people saw it that way.”
White Bros Music
13630 Main St., Bath
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon-4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
(517) 903-6040, whitebrosmusic.com


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Black Entrepreneurs Challenge Protesters to Buy Black and Share Their Receipts From Juneteenth to July 4
In addition to demanding police reform and an end to systemic racism, Kezia M. Williams is challenging Black Lives Matter supporters to protest with their purchases by buying black and sharing their receipts from Juneteenth through Independence Day.
Williams, the founder of The Black upStart, teamed up with black techies to launch the #MyBlackReceipt campaign, which encourages shoppers to support black-owned businesses and then post a copy of their receipt or invoice on social media using the hashtag #MyBlackReceipt. The goal of the campaign is to generate $5 million in revenue within the black community from June 19 through July 4.
“The #MyBlackReceipt Movement is the first, digital initiative to challenge black consumers and allies to buy from a Black business and upload their receipt into a platform that publicly displays how individual purchases can make a collective impact,” said Williams in a press release. The act of sharing receipts, she says, shows that supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement are committed to helping the black community create economic independence.
View this post on Instagram
We live yall! ‼ Make #MyBlackReceipt go VIRAL // On #Juneteenth, put your receipt where your protest is. Buy with a black #BlackOwned business AND upload your receipt at myblackreceipt.com from June 19 – July 4, 2020! 👇🏽 . We will count up all #Receipts, and track our collective spending in a real time #BuyBlackCounter with the goal of spending $5 Million Dollars over 15 Days with Black entrepreneurs. . . 👇🏽 Partners: @theblackupstart @hbcuwallstreet @broccolicity @knoxststudios @19_keys #ProfessorKez @keziamw .
Protest With Your Purchase
#MyBlackReceipt kicks off on Juneteenth, a holiday that recognizes the plight, freedom, and resilience of African Americans. It also starts on the 23rd day of ongoing national protests following the death of George Floyd and other Black men and women at the hands of police. However, according to Williams, protesting is just the first step to creating change. The next step requires people of color and allies to build black economic empowerment. “Black businesses have multiplier effects, just like it did in Black Wall Streets across the country. Black businesses hire Black, create Black products, give to Black causes and pass down assets to Black families,” she says.
She went on to note that black entrepreneurs have historically struggled to gain access to the capital they need to start companies and scale. “Black businesses have been denied loans from big banks and resources from the federal government — most recently from the Paycheck Protection Program,” reads the statement.
To launch the campaign, Williams partnered with other black-owned organizations, including Broccoli City, HBCU Wall Street, Knox St. Studios, and 19 Keys. Yelp also signed on as a strategic partner, announcing that black entrepreneurs now have the option to self-identify their company as Black-owned to help people easily find Black businesses to support on its website.
“For far too long, for far too many people, patronizing Black-owned businesses has been a point-in-time response to a crisis, mostly when mainstream, white-owned brands have let us down,” said Talib Graves-Manns, the founder and executive director of Knox St. Studios. “We want to normalize everyday spending with Black-owned businesses for everyone — not just consumers, and not just Black people.”
Editors’ Note: This article was revised on June 22, 2020, because it originally listed We Buy Black as an official partner in the #MyBlackReciept campaign, which is incorrect. 19 Keys is one of the partners in the campaign.


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Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not getting discouraged after his app Zlatan Unplugged was shut down earlier this month.
The Manchester United forward has just participated in a $1,3m round (~11,6m SEK) in the Swedish gaming company Challengermode, which has developed a platform that enables gamers to compete like professionals and win prizes ranging from money to sponsored products.
The company came out of the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and taps into the growing trend of playing for money in gaming, writes Di Digital. It aims to become a leading e-sports platform.
”We are now seeing that the next wave of e-sports is going mainstream around the world. We're very happy about the investors who have chose to join us in creating tools that enable players and brands thrive in this fast-growing field," said Robel Efrem, CEO of Challengermode to Breakit.
Zlatan joins a skillful group of investors. Swedish tech billionaires (SEK) Jonas Nordlander och Filip Engelbert, founders of Avito, have also invested in Challengermode.
This is not Zlatan's first gaming investment; last Fall he bought a 12,5 percent stake in the Swedish studio Isbit Games, according to VA.se
Also Read: 'The Zlatan app' reported a revenue of SEK 1 - but losses amount to SEK 300,000,000


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Amazon.com today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Goodreads, a site for readers and book recommendations that helps people find and share books they love.
In buying Goodreads, Amazon gets a community of bibliophiles primed to buy and recommend books - one of its key areas of business.
"Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading," said Russ Grandinetti, Amazon Vice President, Kindle Content. "Goodreads has helped change how we discover and discuss books and, with Kindle, Amazon has helped expand reading around the world. In addition, both Amazon and Goodreads have helped thousands of authors reach a wider audience and make a better living at their craft. Together we intend to build many new ways to delight readers and authors alike."
Following the acquisition, Goodreads's headquarters will remain in San Francisco, CA. Founded in 2007, Goodreads now has more than 16 million members and there are more than 30,000 books clubs on the Goodreads site.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Subject to various closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013.


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Demo for New Square Enix RPG NieR: Automata Available Today
It’s been a busy couple of months for Square Enix in terms of releases, news, and new content. Final Fantasy XV launched at the end of November and new content was released soon after. New information on the eagerly anticipated Dragon Quest XI was revealed earlier this week, and Square Enix is encouraging players to re-experience their retro RPGs with an awesome holiday sale. If that wasn’t enough for the month of December, Square Enix just launched a playable demo of the new action RPG NieR: Automata for PlayStation 4. Square Enix gave a press release about the demo, stating that this excerpt of NieR: Automata “transports players to an abandoned factory, following android 2B’s mission to destroy a massive enemy weapon that lies within.”
Accompanying the announcement of the demo was a new trailer, giving news of some exciting collaborations with the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series: “Android 2B will be able to equip Noctis’s signature weapon, the “Engine Blade” from FINAL FANTASY XV and the “Cypress Stick” from the DRAGON QUEST series.”
NieR: Automata is the eagerly awaited sequel to the 2010 classic NIER. The game tells the story of three androids (2B, 9S and A2) as they fight to salvage a dystopian world overrun by weapons known as machine lifeforms. NieR: Automata is set to launch for PS4 on March 7, 2017, in North America for $59.99 and on Steam in early 2017. Hardcore fans of the series may be interested in preordering the “Black Box Edition” directly from Square Enix for $189.99. The special Day One edition is now available for pre-order with all major retailers. NieR: Automata will be rated M for Mature.
For more information, check out the new trailer below or visit the game’s official page here.


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The British orthopedics, sports medicine and wound care products company, however, also reported that it saw elective procedures resume across the U.S. and much of Europe by the time the quarter ended on June 27 — a positive sign for the rest of the year.
Trading profit for the first half of the year — the company’s preferred metric that excludes one-time items — was $172 million, down 68% from the first half of 2019.
Analyst predictions compiled by the company on average expected a trading profit of $225 million for the first half of the year, with the company bringing in $905 million in revenue in Q2.
Smith+Nephew CEO Roland Diggelmann said the company has sought to emerge from the pandemic crisis as strong as possible, maintaining its R&D spend, launching new products, protecting jobs and managing its costs base. “There remain many uncertainties as countries continue to battle COVID-19, but with our unique portfolio, proven strategy, strong balance sheet and motivated workforce we are ready to take advantage as markets recover.”
The company touted strong performance for recently launched products, including the OR3O dual mobility hip system and the Evos small fragment plating system.
Smith+Nephew also recently launched its next-gen Cori handheld, orthopedic, robotic-assisted surgical system for knee surgeries. The Cori system is S+N’s latest salvo against Stryker (NYSE:SYK), which has enjoyed success with its Mako robotic systems in the orthopedic surgery space.
Due to the uncertainty around COVID-19, Smith+Nephew is not providing updated 2020 guidance.
Investors reacted by sending SNN shares up slightly in trading in London today; the stock is up slightly on the NYSE this morning. MassDevice’s MedTech 100 Index — which includes stocks of the world’s largest medical device companies — is also up slightly today.


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What Types of Personal Injury Claims Might Result from COVID-19 Exposure?
COVID-19 exposure has led to a litany of serious health issues and tens of thousands of deaths. Though everyone’s health is top priority, afflicted individuals and family members of those who have been lost might wonder what type of claims can be brought in relation to coronavirus infections. Though each case is unique and it… Read More »
What are Considered Essential Businesses Under States’ COVID-19 Rules?
During the coronavirus pandemic, previously bustling locations from malls to urban downtowns have gone eerily quiet. But your local pizza place might still be open, along with restaurants that can survive on takeout and delivery orders and, of course, grocery stores. After all, keeping people fed during an epidemic is critical, and food delivery and… Read More »
How Can Someone Be Punished if They Violate a COVID-19 Stay at Home Order?
Across the country, stay-at-home orders have strained law enforcement and tested how far states and municipalities are willing to go to enforce the orders. These directives have triggered controversy and confusion, as standards sometimes differ from town to town or county to county. In certain instances, people who have violated government edicts designed to reduce… Read More »
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Your Pending Bankruptcy Proceeding
Every part of the country has been affected by the coronavirus. Like restaurants, arenas and other locations where people assemble for business or pleasure, most courts have been closed. If you are in the midst of a bankruptcy proceeding, your case might be delayed, handled telephonically or be otherwise disrupted due to the pandemic. Furthermore,… Read More »
Drop in Car Crashes, Spike in Bicycle Accidents Linked to Coronavirus
Once Americans came to understand how deadly the coronavirus can be and how easily it is passed from person to person, transportation habits changed. Not only did people drastically curtail business and personal travel, but many stopped going to their workplaces. That has led to a reduction in car accidents at the same time that… Read More »
What Happens if You Host a Gathering While in Quarantine?
Along with the serious health risks associated with coronavirus, Americans are burdened by quarantine orders and similar directives that forbid them from seeing their loved ones, even for major events such as holidays and birthdays. It can be tempting to try to break the rules, especially for people who believe that they don’t fall into… Read More »
Can You Bring an Emotional Distress Claim Related to COVID-19?
The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is not only potentially deadly, but can be transmitted by individuals who are not showing any symptoms, so people might fear that they’ve contracted the illness even if they feel fine. While the virus has existed in the United States for months, obtaining a test is still difficult in… Read More »


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If it weren’t for our front page, you might not know there’s a wet/dry vote coming up.
There’s been little discussion, very few phone calls and no letters to the editor about the local option votes to be held Dec. 13 countywide and for New Castle.
Even the referendum on the Henry County Country Club vote in June generated two letters. And that involved just one precinct.
Several years ago, when Eminence was considering by-the-drink liquor sales, there was plenty of public discussion for or against.
But there’s been little dustup this time. The vote is less than two weeks away, and since nobody else is talking, I’ll take the podium: Voters in Henry County and in New Castle should approve alcohol by-the-drink sales.
For better or worse, a piece of the county’s economic future could be built on the sale of alcohol. We’re a mostly dry county stuck in between Louisville and Kentucky Speedway with an interstate connecting us all. Shoot, we’re stuck between the Speedway and La Grange, which allows sales by the drink.
The county has little more at the two I-71 exits other than gas stations and fast food (even those options are limited), and one location that seems to serve as a revolving door for locally owned restaurants (at least three in the same spot in the last three years). We have almost no options for visitors coming off of the interstate to stop for a sit-down meal.
I won’t be so bold as to guess just how much money is passing us by at 70 mph, but I think it’s safe to say it’s a bunch both in terms of revenue for local businesses and revenue for the county.
Alcohol by-the-drink availability is a draw for many folks who like to dine out. There are some savvy local business people who know that, and I suspect they will jump on the opportunity to capitalize on a successful referendum.
But more to the point — the presence of restaurants can lead to the presence of other businesses, like places to shop while you walk after your dinner or while you wait for a table. Think about this. How many shopping centers don’t have at least one sit-down restaurant? Have you seen many hotels that didn’t have a restaurant very, very close by?
Those things can, and do, exist without alcohol sales, but I suspect their presence could be expedited if such establishments can offer diners alcoholic beverages with their meals. Is the ability to serve alcohol by the drink a guarantee for economic development? I admit, no — but it provides interested businesses an option, effectively sweetening the pot. And it certainly provides local consumers an option to stay closer to home, instead of driving out of county to spend their money. It’s also an effective lure for travelers.
Simply put, approving alcohol sales would be a progressive step for the future of Henry County. There’s no reason not to approve the option on Dec. 13.
So let’s have it — what do you think? Should Henry County voters approve the alcohol-by-the-drink vote on Dec.13? Let us know by visiting www.hclocal.com and voting in the web poll. Or let us know by writing a letter to the editor (and send those to firstname.lastname@example.org or by snail-mail to the address listed in the top portion of this page.


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Three-dimensional printing is no longer a futuristic idea; it is here right now and is rapidly moving into the mainstream. Its swift progression to the forefront of innovative technology has finally taken place, with more and more new ground-breaking headlines and news emerging every day. The thing that is so interesting about this technology is it seems to have very little limits in terms of what it can do and achieve.
The 3d Printing industry was solely used by engineers and scientists when it was first created decades ago. Now we are in a period where we have advanced as a society and the fact that our own consumer needs are far more advanced means this type of technology is being used in many different applications. Collectively, brands that are more global are looking at new inventive ways they can implement and use 3d technology in their own business and marketing campaigns.
Recent trials by Coca-Cola in Israel have used 3d printing to their advantage boosting the brand image and connecting with their customer base through direct marketing projects. In the UK, grocery giants, such as, ASDA are trialing 3d printing by allowing customers to scan themselves, thus creating mini customized figurines in various sizes.
The next giant to use 3d printing is none other than the Global Brand Disney. The researchers at Disney are now offering quite a neat 3d printing project opportunity. They let individuals be replicated into miniature Star Wars storm troopers. The figures are highly detailed and posed in a way that they are holding their helmets at waist length so the figurines unique face can be seen.
This is just another example of one of many well-functioning organizations and businesses around the world looking at improving their brand and involving a personalized way for customers to interact with their brand and this technology. If this is what technology is allowing us to print now, then the future has no limits to what we will be able to design.


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The discovery of the first case of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad-cow disease) in the United States in December 2003 highlights the need for countries to strengthen their BSE control measures, FAO said in a statement issued today.
"When it comes to prevention, the situation is still confused," FAO said. To reassure consumers will require more than the minimum action to be taken by countries. It will require better controls and more surveillance and testing.
In many countries, BSE controls are still not sufficient and many countries are not applying the recommended measures properly. There is also a considerable risk of further introducing infectious materials, given the global trade in animal feed and animal products.
FAO said that no country can claim to be BSE-free, unless this claim is validated through internationally recognized survey methods.
FAO urged governments and industry to carry out a proper risk assessment and to keep risk animals and materials out of the food chain and to strictly apply the following preventive measures:
* ban the feeding of meat-and-bone-meal to farm animals, at least to ruminants;
* strictly avoid cross contamination in feed mills;
* remove and destroy SRMs (Specified Risk Materials: brain and spinal cord, etc.) from cattle over 30 months;
* ensure safe practices in the rendering industry, i.e treatment of the material at 133ºC under 3 bar pressure for 20 minutes;
* apply active surveillance measures within the cattle population and accurate identification of animals and traceability throughout production, processing and marketing;
* ban the use of mechanically removed meat.
With these control measures in place, especially with the feed ban and the removal of SRMs, the risk of BSE infective material being present in the food chain is extremely low, FAO said.
The Office International des Epizooties (OIE) recommends first testing cattle that show BSE symptoms and testing one in 10 000 to one in 100 000 of the cattle population over 30 months. On this basis, Australia tested about 400 animals per year, Canada about 3000 and the US about 20 000 animals, a higher number than suggested by the OIE.
Testing must be targeted and effective, FAO said. Additional tests should be carried out on all animals that have died or are killed other than by routine slaughter.
If BSE is known to be present and control measures have not yet been strictly applied, a wider testing programme is called for, FAO said. Testing of all slaughter cattle over 30 months is a measure to enhance consumer confidence.
To reassure its consumers and to find as many BSE cases as possible, the European Union tested over 9 million animals in 2002/3, with France and Germany testing nearly 3 million each. Switzerland tested 170 000 animals and Japan tested virtually every cow (500 000).
Testing costs are estimated at around $50 per animal. Considering the potential damage of BSE outbreaks to human health and meat markets, testing can be considered cost-effective, FAO said.
If the control measures in the feed, meat and rendering industries are in place and implemented effectively, the risks of infective material in the food chain are very low, even in countries where the disease is present.
To help countries to implement stricter controls, FAO is carrying out training projects in several countries and facilitating cooperation between Switzerland, which has successfully dealt with the BSE crisis, and countries in Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.
This training project targets not only inspectors and laboratory personnel but also those involved in the feed and meat industries, so that they are trained in 'good practices' which minimize the risks throughout the food chain.


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This Wine Spectator article by Shawn Zylberberg about the emergence of Bitcoin payments in the fine wine industry features Warren Porter of Iron Gate Auctions and Iron Gate Wine.
Warren explains “To me, it’s important to be first when the technology makes sense, and it did. It’s not to me any different than a euro or anything else. Anything that I can convert immediately into U.S. dollars I’ll take.”
IronGate.Wine has been accepting Bitcoin since 2019.
Warren mentions that the processing fees with Bitcoin are significantly less than credit cards. He adds that the risk of fraud is reduced to 0%.
You can read the entire article on Wine Spectator.


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Following talks with PETA, the Armani Group—whose iconic brands include Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, EA7, and Armani Exchange—has confirmed that it has banned the use of angora in future collections. It implemented a ban on fur in 2016. PETA is celebrating the company’s decision to extend its no-fur policy to include angora and encourages all designers still using it to get with the times.
“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE
— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind


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SPC has declined to answer questions about the future of its Kyabram factory, more than a week after the company announced plans to sell the iconic IXL and Taylors brands.
The company declined to comment on the matter following a number of attempts by Country News to seek a response and an interview regarding a number of topics, including the future of the factory site, the future of the employees currently working at the site, the timeline of the sale and the amount of interest in the factory.
A spokesperson for the brands said the company did not wish to provide any further detail on what had already been reported in the public domain, citing the confidential process and the ‘‘considerable air time’’ already devoted to the sale, as the reasons behind its decision.
The spokesperson said there was ‘‘nothing more to add’’ other than the fact the company was seeking expressions of interest for the brands.
SPC has been producing IXL jam at the Kyabram factory since purchasing the brand in 2002.


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Americans stopped buying American cars several years ago. Mostly because they were rubbish.
That didn’t bother American car makers. They kept making the shitty cars anyway and just went cap in hand to the government for a bailout.
"We shouldn't be bailing out the banks and car companies," actor, director and Academy Award winner Eastwood told the Los Angeles Times in November 2011.
That was November 2011. Now, however, in February 2012? He’s delivered an ad for half-time at the US Superbowl over the weekend about job growth, about “the spirit of America,” and how Americans should join together again and buy American cars.
Carefully, however, they show very little of the American cars they want Americans to buy.
Because they’re still shitty.
And the only “roar” is the roar of bullshit, and the sucking sound of money disappearing down a black hole.
UPDATE 1: Speaking of shitty cars … it’s half-time in the Lincoln Tunnel.
UPDATE 2: Here’s how a halftime ad by Clint Eastwood should have sounded …
[Hat tip Small Dead Animals]


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- BoT sees mild impact of new COVID-19 wave on the economyThe Bank of Thailand (BoT) does not see the new wave of COVID-19 infections as having as much of an impact on the economy as the first wave, as fewer businesses have had to be suspended.
BANGKOK (NNT) – Despite a new and wider wave of COVID-19 infections in the country, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) has assessed that the economic impact of the situation will not be as severe as the first wave as the effects of the virus are not as pronounced, and public health preparations, including plans for vaccination, are in place.
Senior Director of Macroeconomics for the BoT Chayawadee Chai-anant explained this week that the central bank does not see the new wave of COVID-19 infections as having as much of an impact on the economy as the first wave, as fewer businesses have had to be suspended and the general public is better prepared.
She added that state measures this time around are also less strict, and should allow the export sector to continue on its growth trajectory. If controls during the first half of the year prove effective, tourism is expected to recover in the latter half.
The BoT foresees however, that recovery will differ depending on the area, as 28 provinces are under strict controls. The 28 being tightly maintained account for half of the nation’s economic activity.
Businesses expected to grow more fragile due to a loss of revenue are those in the service sector as well as the tourism industry, which is already financially weak. An estimated 4.7 million laborers, mostly independents, in red zones are expected to be hard hit by the situation.
The bank believes urgent help is needed for workers and fragile businesses and has been issuing measures alongside the state.
Information and Source
Reporter : Praphorn Praphornkul
Rewriter : Rodney McNeil
National News Bureau & Public Relations : http://thainews.prd.go.th18 January 2021Bankinghttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82320
- Leverage from Forex Brokers & How Beginners Can Benefit from ItIn this post, we will tell you what to look for when choosing a broker in order not to fall into a financial trap and how to benefit from dealing with such companies.
Recent statistics show that the number of people willing to invest in the stock market is steadily growing from year to year.
The booming financial literacy of the people and the growing interest in investments give rise to an increasing need for high-quality brokerage services.
In their fight for clients, stock market operators are developing their services, trying to attract clients with favorable tariff conditions, advanced services, and a team of true trading gurus.
In this post, we will tell you what to look for when choosing a broker in order not to fall into a financial trap and how to benefit from dealing with such companies.
Brokerage Services: What Is It in Simple Words?
A broker is an obligatory intermediary between a trader (investor) and an exchange. Its main function is to conclude transactions for the purchase and sale of a currency, securities, or any other assets on behalf of the client for a commission. Working with brokers for forex-leverage is associated with different benefits.
What Are the Advantages of Using Brokerage Services?
You should consider the choice of a broker carefully. The probability of making profitable transactions largely depends on the quality of the services. Therefore, when choosing a broker, pay attention to the following specs:
- it should be a high-quality trading platform with great opportunities;
- there should be a wide range of financial instruments;
- you should find convenient ways to add funds to your account and withdraw the money earned;
- you should test and approve the operational work of the system;
- the company should provide good customer support service that will help resolve any issue (especially important at the initial stage);
- a broker should use modern technologies: a functional personal account, software, mobile applications, etc.;
- you should get detailed reporting on activities;
- a company should run profitable promotions and offers for regular customers and novice investors.
Any brokerage firm has its own strengths and weaknesses. When choosing an intermediary, you need to focus on those features that are important to you. Certain disadvantages can be a decisive factor in favour of opting for another broker:
- high commission for a transaction and a large starting amount of entry;
- hidden fees and additional commissions;
- weak technical toolset (for example, with some brokers, transactions may freeze for several hours, orders are slowly processed, etc.).
How to Determine Which Brokerage Service Is Right for You?
Of course, when choosing a broker, it is, first of all, crucial to check the availability of a license, evaluate the rating, and study the reviews. But to understand what kind of brokerage services you need, it is essential to assess your capabilities and determine a strategy correctly. Having a clear idea of what you need makes it much easier to navigate among the various options and promotional offers.
Doing Things Right
Brokers are different, and their range of services is wide. Do not rush to focus only on promotional offers. To determine an intermediary who will provide you with all the conditions for successful trading on the exchange, you first need to assess your capabilities and desires.
Only afterward you will be able to choose a brokerage company with a package of services and tariffs that will be convenient and beneficial for you.18 January 2021Forexhttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82314
- COVID-19 brings first consumer confidence drop in 3 monthsConsumer confidence in December 2020 was measured at 50.1 points, down from 52.4 the previous month. Economic confidence was also down to 43.5 from 45.6 points.
BANGKOK (NNT) – Concerns linked to the new wave of COVID-19 infections has weighed on both daily life and business, resulting in the first drop in the Consumer Confidence Index in 3 months.
Consumer confidence in December 2020 was measured at 50.1 points, down from 52.4 the previous month. Economic confidence was also down to 43.5 from 45.6 points.
Employment confidence dropped from 50 points to 47.5 and confidence in future revenue prospects retracted from 61.6 to 59.2. The downtrend was seen across the board in all regions of the country and in all instances was attributed to the new bout of COVID-19 infections.
President of the Economic and Business Forecasting Center of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thanawat Polwichai surmised that if the situation persists for more than three months, the economy will grow in only a 0.9 to 2.8 range with a worst-case scenario being a contraction of 0.3 percent.
He said government economic stimulus is needed pointing to the co-pay scheme, while mentioning that if the situation improves in three months, recovery could be seen as soon as Quarter 2.
The president said a private sector suggestion to widen eligibility for the co-pay scheme and increase its cap from 3,500 to 5,000 baht per person would spur circulation, projecting the state needs to inject 200 to 300 billion baht into the economy to keep it afloat, or 400 to 600 billion baht to trigger growth.
He said further loans by the state are not yet needed, especially if economic stimulus can be pulled off soon as to trigger tax payments.
Information and Source
Reporter : Praphorn Praphornkul
Rewriter : Rodney McNeil
National News Bureau & Public Relations : http://thainews.prd.go.th14 January 2021Economicshttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82298
- Wish you were here: how the pandemic harmed tourism-dependent economiesBefore COVID-19, travel and tourism had become one of the most important sectors in the world economy, accounting for 10 percent of global GDP and more than 320 million jobs worldwide.
In 1950, at the dawn of the jet age, just 25 million people took foreign trips. By 2019, that number had reached 1.5 billion, and the travel and tourism sector had grown to almost too-big-to-fail proportions for many economies.
The global pandemic, the first of its scale in a new era of interconnectedness, has put 100 million jobs at risk, many in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that employ a high share of women, who represent 54 percent of the tourism workforce, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Tourism-dependent countries will likely feel the negative impacts of the crisis for much longer than other economies. Contact-intensive services key to the tourism and travel sectors are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and will continue to struggle until people feel safe to travel en masse again.
“There is no way we can grow our way out of this hole we are in,” Irwin LaRocque, secretary-general of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said at a virtual event in September.
From the white sand beaches of the Caribbean, Seychelles, Mauritius, and the Pacific to the back streets of Bangkok, to Africa’s sweeping national parks, countries are grappling with how to lure back visitors while avoiding new outbreaks of infection.
The solutions range from wooing the ultrarich who can quarantine on their yachts to inviting people to stay for periods of up to a year and work virtually while enjoying a tropical view.
Tourism receipts worldwide are not expected to recover to 2019 levels until 2023
In the first half of this year, tourist arrivals fell globally by more than 65 percent, with a near halt since April—compared with 8 percent during the global financial crisis and 17 percent amid the SARS epidemic of 2003, according to ongoing IMF research on tourism in a post-pandemic world.
The October World Economic Outlook projected the global economy would contract by 4.4 percent in 2020. The shock in tourism-dependent economies will be far worse. Real GDP among African countries dependent on tourism will shrink by 12 percent. Among tourism-dependent Caribbean nations, the decline will also reach 12 percent. Pacific island nations such as Fiji could see real GDP shrink by a staggering 21 percent in 2020.
Nor is the economic hit limited to the most tourism-dependent countries. In the United States, Hawaii saw one in every six jobs vanish by August. In Florida, where tourism accounts for up to 15 percent of the state’s revenue, officials said it will take up to three years for the industry to recover.
Among G20 countries, the hospitality and travel sectors make up 10 percent of employment and 9.5 percent of GDP on average, with the GDP share reaching 14 percent or more in Italy, Mexico, and Spain. A six-month disruption to activity could directly reduce GDP between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent across all G20 countries, according to a recent IMF paper.
Managing the revenue gap
In Barbados and Seychelles, as in many other tourism-dependent nations, the pandemic brought the industry to a virtual standstill.
After successfully halting local transmission of the virus, the authorities reopened their island countries for international tourists in July. Still, arrivals in August were down almost 90 percent relative to previous years, drying up a vital stream of government revenue.
Barbados had gone into the crisis with good economic fundamentals, as a result of an IMF-supported economic reform program that helped stabilize debt, build reserves, and consolidate its fiscal position just before the crisis struck. The IMF augmented its Extended Fund Facility program by about $90 million, or about 2 percent of GDP, to help finance the emerging fiscal deficit as a result of plummeting revenues from tourism-related activity and increasing COVID-related expenditures.
“The longer this lasts, the more difficult it gets to maintain,” says Kevin Greenidge, senior technical advisor to Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
On the other side of the world, Seychelles, a country that entered the crisis from a similar position of strength, will still be challenged to return to medium-term fiscal sustainability without significant support. Just before the crisis struck, the government had rebuilt international reserves and consolidated its fiscal positions. Even so, the ongoing pandemic struck the Indian Ocean island nation very hard as tourism revenues fell while COVID-related expenditures increased.
“It is too early to determine whether the crisis represents a permanent shock and how it will shape the tourism industry going forward,” says Boriana Yontcheva, the IMF’s mission chief to Seychelles. “Given the large uncertainties surrounding the recovery of the sector, innovative structural policies will be necessary to adapt to the new normal.”It is too early to determine whether the crisis represents a permanent shock.
All over the world, tourism-dependent economies are working to finance a broad range of policy measures to soften the impact of plummeting tourism revenues on households and businesses. Cash transfers, grants, tax relief, payroll support, and loan guarantees have been deployed. Banks have also halted loan repayments in some cases. Some countries have focused support on informal workers, who tend to be concentrated in the tourism sector and are highly vulnerable.
An analysis of the tourism industry by McKinsey & Company says that multiyear recovery of tourism demand to 2019 levels will require experimenting with new financing mechanisms.
The consulting firm analyzed stimulus packages across 24 economies totaling $100 billion in direct aid to the tourism industry and $300 billion in aid across other sectors with significant involvement in tourism. Most direct stimulus was in the form of grants, debt relief, and aid to small and medium-sized enterprises and airlines.
The firm recommends new ways to support the industry, including revenue-sharing mechanisms among hotels that compete for the same market segment, such as a stretch of beachfront, and government-backed equity funds for tourism-related businesses.
The crisis has crystallized the importance of tourism as a development pathway for many countries to decrease poverty and improve their economies. In sub-Saharan Africa, the development of tourism has been a key driver in closing the gap between poor and rich countries, with tourism-dependent countries averaging real per capita GDP growth of 2.4 percent between 1990 and 2019—significantly faster than non-tourism-dependent countries in the region, according to IMF staff.
Smaller, tourism-dependent nations are in many ways locked into their economic destinies. Among small island nations, there are few, if any, alternative sectors to which they can shift labor and capital.
Seychelles, for example, has benefited from increases in tuna exports during the COVID-19 period, which have somewhat offset tourism losses, but these additional earnings remain a fraction of tourism receipts. The government is also carrying out a plan to pay wages to displaced tourism-sector workers while offering opportunities for retraining.
Meanwhile, the government in Barbados is trying to maintain social spending and reprioritize capital spending to create jobs, at least temporarily, in nontourism sectors such as agriculture and infrastructure development.
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association has projected that as many as 60 percent of the 30,000 new hotel rooms that were in the planning or construction phase throughout the Caribbean region will not be completed as a result of the crisis.
Still, the crisis is being viewed as an opportunity to improve the industry in the medium and long term through greater digitalization and environmental sustainability. The UNWTO has encouraged support for worker training in order to build digital skills for harnessing the value of big data, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Recovery should be leveraged to improve the industry’s efficient use of energy and water, waste management, and sustainable sourcing of food.
“In a sector that employs 1 in 10 people globally, harnessing innovation and digitalization, embracing local values, and creating decent jobs for all—especially for youth, women, and the most vulnerable groups in our societies—could be at the forefront of tourism’s recovery,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
Adjusting to a new normal
As the immediate impact of lockdowns and containment measures eased during the second half of 2020, countries started looking for a balance.
Thailand, Seychelles, and other countries approved programs that would admit tourists from “lower-risk” countries with special quarantine requirements. Fiji has created “blue lanes” that will allow seafaring visitors to arrive on yachts and quarantine at sea before they unleash “the immense economic impact they carry aboard,”
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama declared on Twitter. St. Lucia requires a negative COVID-19 test no more than seven days before arrival. Australia created a “travel bubble” that will eliminate quarantine requirements for travelers from New Zealand. CARICOM countries have also created a “regional travel bubble” that eliminates testing and quarantine for people traveling from countries within the bubble.
In a new era of remote work, countries and territories such as Barbados, Estonia, Georgia, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, and the Cayman Islands offer new long-term permits, lasting up to 12 months in some places, to entice foreign visitors to bring their virtual offices with them while spending in local economies.
Japan, which had seen its international arrivals triple from 2013 to 2018, started lifting border closures for travelers from certain countries at the end of October. To accommodate a post-pandemic tourism rebound, an IMF Working Paper recommends that the government continue a trend of relaxing visa requirements, draw visitors away from urban centers to less populated regions of the country, and complement a tourism comeback with improvements to labor resources and tourism infrastructure.
The World Tourism and Travel Council in a report on the future of the industry said the pandemic has shifted travelers’ focus to domestic trips or nature and outdoor destinations. Travel will largely be “kickstarted by the less risk averse travelers and early adopters, from adventure travelers and backpackers to surfers and mountain climbers,” the report says.
Leisure travel will lead the comeback in the tourism and travel sector. Business travel, a crucial source of revenue for hotels and airlines, could see a permanent shift or may come back only in phases based on proximity, reason for travel, and sector.
In the end, the return of tourism will likely hinge on what will be a deeply personal decision for many people as they weigh the risk of falling ill against the necessity of travel. The private sector backed by some tourism-dependent nations is developing global protocols for various travel industries, including a call for more rapid testing at airports to boost confidence in traveling.
“The fact is people do not feel comfortable traveling. We have not put in the necessary protocols to give them that comfort,” St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said at a September virtual event. “After 9/11, the TSA [Transportation Security Administration] and other security agencies around the world did a fantastic job of developing protocols that regained the public’s confidence to travel, and sadly with this pandemic we haven’t done that.”
ADAM BEHSUDI is on the staff of Finance & Development.13 January 2021Tourismhttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82264
- How Asia Pacific can turn COVID crisis into an opportunityBold policies needed to boost economic recovery and improve social stability
Like Hydra, the many-headed monster of Greek myth, COVID-19 is proving hard to suppress even a year after the first case was confirmed in Wuhan.
For the East Asia and Pacific region, the disease has delivered a triple shock: the pandemic itself, the economic impact of containment measures, and reverberations from the global recession brought on by the crisis.
But the longer-term impact of COVID on the region will depend less on the virus than on policy decisions and how governments respond.
Due to this combination of domestic and external shocks, the region is expected to grow by less than 1% in 2020, the lowest rate since 1967. Poverty in the region is projected to increase for the first time in 20 years.
What is worse, COVID could have a lasting impact on inclusive longer-term growth. Rising indebtedness along with increased uncertainty is likely to inhibit public and private investment, as well as pose a risk to economic stability.
Sickness, food insecurity, job losses, and school closures could lead to the erosion of human capital and earning losses that last a lifetime.
The disruption of trade and global value chains could hurt productivity by leading to a less efficient allocation of resources across sectors and companies, and by dampening the diffusion of technology.
Left unremedied, the consequences of the pandemic could reduce regional growth over the next decade by 1 percentage point per year. Again, the poor would be worst hit because of their lower level of access to hospitals, schools, jobs, and finance.
But none of this is a forgone conclusion. If containment and relief efforts today are informed by their impact on recovery and growth tomorrow, governments can avoid lasting negative outcomes. A few priorities stand out.
First, building the capacity to test, trace, and isolate cases of the virus will remain critical not just until the arrival of a vaccine but throughout the prolonged period during which it is being deployed. New research shows that testing-based strategies can magnify the impact of a vaccine.
In parallel, preparing to distribute the vaccine efficiently and fairly would not only facilitate economic recovery but contribute to social stability.
Fiscal reforms could allow greater spending on relief without sacrificing public investment. Governments in the region raise relatively little revenue, only 18% of gross domestic product – a third less than that in other emerging markets.
Widening the tax base with more progressive taxation of income and profits and less wasteful spending on regressive energy subsidies, in some cases over 2% of GDP, could make recovery both inclusive and sustainable.
Social protection programs have remained too timid and scaling them up has proved difficult. Investment in the infrastructure of delivery can help.
For example, in Malaysia, a universal national ID system, wide mobile phone coverage, and high financial inclusion have allowed government assistance to reach more than 10 million beneficiaries or one-third of the total population.
Assistance to companies must be linked to objective criteria related not just to past performance or current pain but the potential to thrive in the future. Otherwise, the risk of moral hazard looms large, and with it the prospect of delaying the necessary adjustment of economic structures.
Equal access to the digital technologies
Governments should act to ensure equal access for small businesses and the poor to the digital technologies that have become essential since the onset of the pandemic.
These technologies have mitigated the negative effects of school closures on student learning, improved access to health services, and bridged producers and consumers through e-commerce and home delivery during lockdowns. Such benefits need to be spread widely and equitably.
Deepening trade reform and cooperation, especially in services sectors – such as finance, transport, and communications – would enhance productivity and help people take advantage of new opportunities.
The recent Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a welcome initial step – though its effects would be larger if integration were deeper.
The recovery needs to be resilient and sustainable.
Tomorrow’s economies should become more, rather than less, resilient to climate change and natural disasters. Over the last decade, the region has met its energy needs through a scale-up in coal power generation, while the degradation of the natural environment – including critical forests, rivers, and oceans – has continued.
Investments in cleaner energy and green and blue natural assets will be key to tomorrow’s employment and economic opportunities, as well as producing local health and global climate benefits. In this context, the announcements by China, South Korea, and Japan to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century, and the Philippines’ moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, are inspiring and could encourage more countries to move in this direction.
East Asia entered the COVID pandemic first and is likely to be the first region to recover this year. Just as Hydra was defeated with courage and ingenuity, the region can turn this crisis to its long-term advantage by adopting bold and imaginative policies today.
This blog post was originally published as an op-ed by Nikkei Asia on December 30, 2020.12 January 2021Opinionhttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82255
- Asia’s supply chains to be tested by COVID-19 vaccine deliveryThe global logistics company DHL estimates that global vaccine coverage will take around 200,000 pallet shipments and 15 million deliveries in cooling boxes as well as 15,000 flights.
The enormous logistical challenge of vaccine distribution will be aided by trade and supply chain finance guarantees.
COVID-19 vaccines are being developed and approved for use around the world. It is an effort of historic proportions, but viable vaccines are only the first step toward taming the virus.
Enormous quantities of the vaccines will need to be produced and delivered
The vaccines approved already in some jurisdictions, and many of the candidates likely to be approved going forward, are injectable products that need to be kept cold.
One of the first vaccines that has already received approval in Canada and the United Kingdom must be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 Fahrenheit), for example.
The vaccines will need to get to people in places that lack a proper transport infrastructure and where basic refrigeration may be hard to find.
As Patrick Osewe, Chief of Health Sector Group at ADB, has pointed out, a “cold chain” to keep the vaccine at appropriate temperature from production to inoculation will have to be established.
Stockpiles of vaccine-related goods need to be built–things like syringes, glass vials, refrigerated containers to move and store the vaccine, and the list goes on.
The difficulty in getting these items where they need to go, so people can be quickly vaccinated, is compounded by the ongoing global economic uncertainty.
In a world fraught with risk and widespread ratings downgrades, trade and supply chain finance guarantees could play a role in mitigating the risks that may impede the sale of vaccines to some developing countries.
The sheer scale of the logistical challenge is daunting
The global logistics company DHL estimates that global vaccine coverage will take around 200,000 pallet shipments and 15 million deliveries in cooling boxes as well as 15,000 flights.
The vaccine will most likely need to travel by air, since most container ships are not equipped to carry and keep cool such delicate cargo.
The logistics surrounding the supply lines for pandemic-fighting gear such as masks and ventilators got a thorough workout at the beginning of the pandemic and the experience was less than ideal. Those were products which were already in production with established supply lines that did not need refrigeration.
That experience earlier this year serves up lessons that can be used for the next challenge. The logistics surrounding vaccine supply lines will no doubt be even harder.
This time, the situation is different in one important way
We know the size of the challenge that awaits. That’s why planning is already well advanced to sort out what will be needed when the vaccines are ready for delivery.
To take one example, UNICEF, the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, plans to have a billion syringes stockpiled in the countries where they will be most needed in 2021. It says it will have half of that already in its warehouses around the world by the end of this year.
If we want mass vaccination, we need supply chains that are up to the task of delivering the vaccines to people who need it most.
Much more work is needed.
We need to be able to shed light on the problems in global supply chains in the early stages of distribution and address the problems quickly. During the onset of the pandemic, it became clear then that a major source of the difficulties was that supply chains for critical goods were opaque. Everyone could see goods were not getting where they were needed but where exactly blockages were happening was mostly a mystery.
In response, ADB’s Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program developed a supply chain mapping tool as a way for anyone to find out who makes what in the supply chains for 19 products involved in fighting the pandemic. Soon, the supply lines for vaccines will be included in the tool as well.
In addition to mapping the supply chain for vaccine related equipment like syringes, and vials, we’re now trying to devise a way to map out the distribution chain for vaccines to identify any impediments, including for cold transportation and storage, to getting the job done.
To make the trade in these critical products run smoother in developing economies our Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program has made available a $500-million Vaccine Import Facility to purchase vaccines and related equipment. The facility provides guarantees to support the purchase of these items, and AAA-guarantees available through the program’s vaccine import facility will mitigate payment risks and facilitate import.
The beauty of supply chain support is that it can compound so easily, making it ideally suited to the current challenge of removing bottlenecks in the supply of life-saving vaccine. Through risk-sharing with partner banks, the $500 million facility could be leveraged to $1 billion.
The production and distribution of vaccines won’t be easy, but it needs to be done. If we want a new normal that is closer to our old normal, mass vaccination is the only choice. And if we want mass vaccination, we need supply chains that are up to the task of delivering the vaccines to people who need it most.11 January 2021Businesshttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82251
- Covid-19: the Latest on Southeast AsiaAs 2021 dawns, the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop in Southeast Asia. Many countries are preparing to receive their first vaccine shipments, and a few have already started distributing them.
As 2021 dawns, the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop in Southeast Asia. Many countries are preparing to receive their first vaccine shipments, and a few have already started distributing them.
New outbreak in Thailand
But in the meantime, the virus is rebounding in many parts of the region. In Thailand, a new oubreak has nearly doubled the country’s case total in the past month.
The first evidence of community transmission occurred when a Thai worker at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon province tested positive. Soon migrant workers at the same seafood market, many of whom had left neighbouring Myanmar after a serious outbreak started there in September, were testing positive at a high rate. Anti-Myanmar sentiment has intensified online in recent weeks as many Thais blame migrants for the surge in cases.
The outbreak in Thailand has also precipitated an exodus of non-Myanmar migrant workers to their countries of origin. Cambodia has seen a small increase in cases due to several of these returning migrant workers testing positive. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has since tightened border restrictions and prevented more Cambodian migrants from traveling to Thailand.
So far, few new cases have been reported in Cambodia. But if efforts to keep the coronavirus out of the country fail, Cambodia’s weak healthcare system could be quickly overrun.
Thailand’s northern neighbor Laos has tightened movement control measures and increased inspections of Thai fish imports. Laos reportedly began vaccinating frontline officials, including medical workers, in late November. It remains unclear which vaccine the Lao government is using, but it plans to continue vaccinating medical workers through January.
Growing number of cases in Indonesia
The growth of cases in Indonesia has only accelerated over the holidays. Indonesia has locked down its borders, banning all incoming travelers as a new, potentially more contagious variant of Covid-19 spreads from the United Kingdom.
The densely populated island of Java, which also contains the country’s capital, accounts for the majority of cases nationwide. Hospitalizations have far surpassed capacity on the island, and so has space in cemeteries, some of which have resorted to doubling up on graves. Meanwhile, Indonesia has begun distributing the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine and will begin officially vaccinating the public on January 13. The Indonesian government is also finalizing deals to secure Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
More cases in Malaysia
Cases in Malaysia have also accelerated of late. The government has not issued any major updates to its movement control measures after loosening regulations throughout December. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has taken action to acquire vaccines. Two weeks ago, his government signed a deal for 6.4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Muhyiddin also says he is in talks with Chinese and Russian manufacturers to secure more doses.
Cases have come down in the Philippines
New daily cases have come down in the Philippines over the past few weeks, as the government extended various states of quarantine in December and restricted inbound travel, including from the United Kingdom, the United States, and 20 other countries. Singapore has also halted travel from the UK while strengthening quarantine measures for those traveling from South Korea, where cases are surging.
For more details on recent developments, visit our Tracker online.8 January 2021Healthhttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82247
- Thailand’s slow economic recoveryThe speed of economic recovery in Thailand has been slower than neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and China, especially in terms of industrial and service output.
Thailand’s economic performance in the third quarter of 2020 showed promising signs of recovery amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The contraction in GDP fell to 6.4 per cent year-on-year, down from 12 per cent in the second quarter. Signs of recovery in key industries such as electronics and appliances, the automotive sector and plastics are bright spots.
The speed of economic recovery in Thailand has been slower than neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and China, especially in terms of industrial and service output.
Part of the reason is the inadequacy of Thailand’s policies during lockdown, particularly its tax measures and special loan initiatives to help vulnerable firms maintain cash flow and reduce costs of production.
There was also no clear policy geared directly at retaining employment in industries such as tourism that were hit hard by COVID-19.
Tax measures meant to support firms were mostly limited to tax payment deferral for three months and an acceleration of tax refunds, whereas others such as Malaysia, China, South Korea and Japan offered tax cuts. South Korea allowed tax payment deferral for nine months; Japan offered it for almost a year.
Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam all offered wage subsidies to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help retain employees.
Thailand’s policy was limited to reducing the contribution rate to the Social Security Fund (SSF), extending the duration of contribution form submissions and providing special funds for employment training. Fortunately, workers registered with the SSF, independent labourers, vulnerable persons and low-income earners did receive financial assistance from the government, though payments were delayed.
Soft loans from the Central bank
The central bank offered 500 billion baht (US$16.7 billion) in soft loans as part of a 1.9 trillion baht (US$63.4 billion) budget (around 14 per cent of GDP) for providing remedies, stimulating the economy and enhancing production potential in several sectors.
The accessibility of these loans has been questioned — as of November 2020, only 25 per cent of them have been taken. Conditions regarding eligibility for borrowing, loan duration, speed of the loan approval process and surety conditions for the loans remain under debate.
After completely lifting its lockdown in July 2020, the government introduced a series of more targeted measures to stimulate the economy. For example, the central bank extended debt relief measures for SMEs that began in April 2020, but only for specific firms that cannot repay loans to financial institutions. These targeted measures will end on 30 June 2021.
Around 25 billion baht (US$835 million) has been allocated to support tourism and related industries. The ‘We Travel Together’ stimulus package launched in July 2020 and ending in April 2021 will see the government partly subsidise some tourist expenses including hotel accommodation, airfares and other tourist activities. Measures such as these will likely support economic recovery.
In October, the government offered an unconditional co-payment to 10 million Thai citizens to purchase day-to-day goods, excluding alcohol and tobacco, in the hope of stimulating private consumption. Under the scheme, the government subsidises half the cost of purchases with a maximum daily co-payment of 150 baht (US$5) per day, totalling 3000 baht (US$100) per person, for up to three months.
The scheme was extremely popular, and in December Cabinet expanded it to cover another 5 million people and raised the total subsidy to 3500 baht (US$117) per person. The original 10 million people also received an additional 500 baht (US$17) each.
Without any income conditions, equal access to the scheme was problematic and many applicants complained about losing their opportunity to benefit from the scheme. To what extent the scheme will stimulate consumption is yet to be seen since the subsidies last up to three months. Rather than stimulating the economy as expected, the scheme may just be palliative.
Although a series of measures have been implemented, some key aspects of Thailand’s economic performance look grim.
Thailand needs more employment stimulus policies
The number of unemployed persons jumped to more than 800,000 in October 2020 from only 370,000 in 2019, while the share of private investment in GDP in the third quarter of 2020 fell to its lowest level (14 per cent) since 2003. Household debt reached 83.8 per cent of GDP in October, the highest level in 18 years.
To resolve these challenges, Thailand needs more employment stimulus policies, a proper debt-restructuring program and medium to long-term growth stimulus measures. The Thai government has prepared a 400 billion baht (US$13.3 billion) budget to enhance production potential and competitiveness in several sectors. But the draft budget accounted for only 17 per cent of this figure and listed only three industries: agriculture, tourism and textiles. Projects concerning the digital economy, the ‘green’ economy and logistics are inadequate.
In pushing these projects ahead, the Thai government needs to further develop the country’s human capital in the current climate of digital transformation.
Policy overlap and coordination failures across institutions need to be resolved. Infrastructure including e-governance, investment in 5G, and affordable and reliable broadband in remote areas should be prioritised. The proper handling of the pandemic, including testing, tracing and vaccine handling, and the country’s recent political challenges are also key in moving the economy forward in 2021.
Author: Juthathip Jongwanich, Thammasat University
Juthathip Jongwanich is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and the International Competitiveness Research Cluster, Thammasat University.
This article is part of an EAF special feature series on 2020 in review and the year ahead.7 January 2021Economicshttps://www.thailand-business-news.com/?p=82235


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Waste is at the very centre of the clothing and fashion industry, and year after year most, of it ends up dumped in this part of the world. So it’s not a surprise, that the guys from Afrodistrict held an upcycling pop-up event at our warehouse aptly titled, “The Revival”.
Aimed at creating awareness of the harm the importation of low-grade secondhand clothes does to the planet, customers were encouraged to get involved in sewing their garments and outfits with items tagged as “fashion waste” with the guidance of experienced tailors and seamstresses.
For two days straight Yayra & Kwamina (founders of Afrodistrict) along with their team of talented tailors and seamstresses turned our warehouse into an upcycling workshop by day. By night the whole ambiance of the place switched up, becoming a lively party zone for customers and fashion waste enthusiasts. We had the likes of famous Disk Jockey, Dj San Gabriel blasting our ears with sounds from all over the world. Also at the event was the self-described modern nomadic chef, Chef Binta of Fulani’s Kitchen to entice us with her food bites(Yummy stuff, mmmm).
“We are on a mission to create an upcycling culture in Ghana and worldwide where clothes are reused and recycled instead of dumped”, says the creative collective. “The Revival” upcycle experience did just that with everyone that came and participated in the event. Fun times


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From hurricanes to blizzards to flu pandemics, disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. Many people fail to plan for emergencies, but Richard Harris is ready to help. Harris is CEO and “sustenance guru” of P3 Secure, which supplies self-heating meals, shelf-stable water and other products required for survival in emergencies.
Relief organizations urge people to have a three-day supply of food and water on hand in case of an emergency. Only half of Americans have any supplies, though, and many of those are insufficient. For instance, most water in plastic bottles can grow bacteria and is only good for about a year. P3 Secure’s water comes in aseptic packaging that’s good for five years. The meals, which can be heated in eight to 10 minutes with an included heating element, can last for at least three years. The company also produces hygiene kits with items such as hand sanitizer, toothpaste and self-heating washcloths.
Harris, a 1986 business graduate and former member of the men’s basketball team, founded P3 Secure in 2007 after working with a defense contractor in disaster areas. While MREs (meals ready to eat) existed for soldiers, he noted that average citizens in a disaster had different needs and would want meals that resembled something they’d eat every day.
“When disruption occurs, the meal is the most important thing of the day, so we wanted it to be as normal as possible,” Harris says.
The company, based in West Chester, Ohio, sells its disaster-response kits to government agencies, corporations, relief organizations and individuals. In 2008, it sent half a million meals and products to victims of Hurricane Ike, and the company donated to Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Many businesses are clients, Harris says, because they understand the need to take care of employees who might be stranded in an emergency, but individual consumers are harder to convince.
Events like the winter’s fierce storms on the East Coast, as well as earthquakes and the H1N1 scare, “make it easier to talk about disaster preparedness,” Harris says, “but the inclination of most people is to think about it but not to act.”


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Americhem owner and CEO Rick Juve and the company’s executive committee accepted the proclamation on behalf of over 800 Americhem employees around the world. The company was also recognized with a full page article in Plastics News covering the anniversary. The Summit County (Ohio) Council will soon recognize Americhem with a special commendation on their 75th anniversary.
Americhem receives 75th anniversary proclamation from the city of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Mayor Don Walters (fourth from left) presents the honor to, from left to right, president John Deignan, VP of human resources Diane Shields, senior VP and CFO Jane Hamrle, Walters, owner and chairman Rick Juve, VP and general manager – Americas Matt Miklos, director of research Wendy Shuttleworth and director of global supply chain Rod Manfull. Not pictured are Stanley Teoh, vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific; Thomas Weigl, vice president and managing director, EMEA, and Glenn Munshaw, director of global manufacturing.


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Sainsbury's shifts to price-driven promotion
By John Reynolds, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Monday, 12 September 2011 09:27AM
Sainsbury's has launched an aggressive price-matching promotion which is likely to prompt a fresh battle among the big supermarkets.
The move marks a change in strategy for Sainsbury's, which has previously shied away from promoting itself as a price-driven retailer even though its rivals Asda and Tesco have long-battled for customers on price.
Sainsbury's is trialling a new initiative, called Brand Match, which compares the prices of its own branded goods with rival supermarkets.
If the cost of a customer’s basket is cheaper elsewhere, the customer is given a voucher to the value of the difference, in an effort to win their loyalty.
Sainsbury’s customers have to spend at least £20 to qualify for the offer. The maximum discount they can receive is £20.
The Brand Match technology is being trialled in 12 stores in Northern Ireland but could be rolled out across the majority of Sainsbury’s outlets.
The offensive from Sainsbury's has already prompted a response from rivals, with Tesco putting signs up at its stores saying it will accept the Sainsbury’s vouchers.
Asda is also understood to be working on a similar online initiative.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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The latest data released by UKHospitality has revealed that the UK hotel market is underperforming compared to the EU average on every key metric.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has signed a management agreement with Arab International Tourism Investment Company to debut the voco brand in Egypt, with the development of voco Giza Pyramids. Part of a mixed-use development, which will include a high-end mall, the 17,000 sqm hotel is scheduled to open in 2022.
Located at 6515 Hausman Road, the 288-bed, 58-building complex is comprised of 104 units in cottage-style, two-story buildings and is less than two miles from the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA).
Yunjis robots are already being used in more than 500 hotels in China to escort guests to their rooms, deliver room service and provide concierge-type assistance.


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Google Chairman Eric Schmidt painted a messianic picture of our technological future on Monday, involving holographic telepresence, self-driving cars, automatic translation and the widespread deployment of 1Gbps Internet access over optical fiber, bringing transnational peace and communication to all.
Schmidt was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Cebit trade show in Hanover, Germany, the theme of which this year is "managing trust."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel cautioned on Monday night that cloud computing services such as those offered by Google are not without their dangers.
"The more you take them for granted, like electricity from a wall outlet, the more important it is that you can rely on them," she said, concluding the opening ceremony.
When people store their personal data in the cloud, she said, "We must make sure that the data is not used by anybody else."
David McAllister, the premier of the German state of Lower Saxony where the show takes place, was more direct in his warnings.
"As the Internet makes further inroads into the spheres of business, administration and government, the issue of security and trust in the digital world is becoming more important and of increasing interest," he said before Schmidt spoke. "However enthusiastic we might be about the potential of the Internet and social media as a platform for information and communication, this should never be at the expense of personal privacy or copyright laws."
And Dieter Kempf, president of the German association for the high-tech industry, Bitkom, had more advice for Schmidt:
"Signs of trust including the protection of data privacy, safety and transparency are by far the most important criteria" when buying goods and services online, he said. "Without confidence there can be no online shopping, no cloud computing."
Schmidt followed Kempf and dismissed the matter of trust in technology summarily, saying that for us to trust it, the technology must exist in the first place.
He had more to say about what technology will bring us, including optical fiber connections delivering 1Gbps Internet access in almost every city by 2020; driverless cars able to navigate Germany's autobahns at high speed, and the ability to rent holographic telepresence devices to visit the places those cars cannot take us.
Such pleasures will likely be reserved for those with a deep knowledge of IT, in Europe or the U.S., or perhaps the "connected contributors," those who have access to technology and understand how to use it but not how it works, said Schmidt.
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The U.S. Postal Service today, February 6, 2013, announced that it would end mail delivery on Saturdays as part of its strategy to curb losses. Just last year, the Postal Service bled $15.9 billion. For small businesses, that means more planning to get direct mail flyers to customers.
The Postal Service will still deliver packages on Saturdays, allaying fears that the only time personal packages will be delivered are when customers are at work. However, the end of Saturday delivery for regular mail is August 1, 2013.
Any small business planning a direct mail flyer promotion to its customers will need to account for the change. They'll need to send promotions at least one day earlier, possibly two, if they want the mailings to reach their intended targets - particularly if they're planning a Saturday or Sunday sale.
However, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Congress may halt the Postal Service's move. Previous Congressional appropriations bills have included moratoriums on ending Saturday delivery, and currently, it's unclear whether or not the Postal Service can take action without Congressional approval.